EFF GAUTENG STATEMENT ON THE CITY OF JOHANNESBURG'S FAILURE TO PAY ESKOM BILL
08 November 2024
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) express serious concern over the City of Johannesburg, failure to keep up with its Eskom bill, placing an undue burden on residents. The power utility, Eskom, has threatened to limit power supply to residents as a result.
Ina communique issued by Eskom on 7 November 2024, the power utility announced a notice of power interruption again. the City of Johannesburg and City Power due to the city, failure to pay its electricity debt. Eskom indicates that the City currently owes the utility an amount of R4.9 billion, excluding an additional R1.4 billion that will be due at the end of November. The power utility's statement further reveals that the City has acknowledged this debt but has failed to pay it on time, putting Eskom under significant financial strain.
The City of Johannesburg has since issued a public statement expressing its concerns over Eskom, notice and its intention to pursue legal action to prevent power interruptions. The City cites concerns about alleged overbilling and Eskom, lack of clarity on the billing dispute.
While the EFF acknowledges the possibility of billing disputes that sometimes arise between municipalities and Eskom, we believe that mature leadership and logical decision-making could have resolved this issue before it reached the public domain. State institutions are expected to resolve misunderstandings amicably to avoid confusion and ensure the continuity of essential services.
The EFF in Gauteng stands in solidarity with the people of Johannesburg, who work hard to pay their bills and expect both the municipality and Eskom to manage their affairs without disrupting services. Johannesburg residents are already struggling with an ongoing water crisis, and this lack of leadership only worsens their situation.
The EFF in Gauteng calls on the leadership of City Power and the executive in the City of Johannesburg, particularly the MMC for Finance and the Executive Mayor, to respect the trust that the people of Johannesburg have placed in them. Most imperatively, the City of Johannesburg must devise and present a clear and reliable payment plan immediately on the debt to Eskom so it does not create a financial burden to the state entity. This should also include greater control systems to ensure collection above 90% and minimise losses of electricity between supply and metering points
The City of Johannesburg remains the biggest City and an economic hub of country and the continent, electricity and water supply are a non-negotiable. The EFF in Gauteng and in Johannesburg, will continue demanding accountability from City Power and the executive to ensure that service delivery is not interrupted due to incompetence and complacency by those entrusted with responsibilities to serve our people.
Statement issued by EFF Gauteng, 8 November 2024
